


Advent Challenge

by goodnyte



Category: Transformers - All Media Types
Genre: Gen, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-30
Updated: 2013-12-29
Packaged: 2018-01-06 16:33:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 25
Words: 10,182
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1109064
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/goodnyte/pseuds/goodnyte
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Written for the Optimus Prime/Starscream LJ community Advent Challenge.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Day 1 - Advent

**Title** : Waiting Game  
 **‘Verse** : G1 (post-war alternate universe)  
 **Series** : None  
 **Rating** : G  
 **Characters** : Optimus Prime and Starscream  
 **Summary** : Starscream hates waiting but sometimes looking forward to something is part of the fun.  
 **Warnings** : Post-war AU; tiny fic.  
 **Notes** : For [primescream](http://primescream.livejournal.com) Advent Challenge.

The Prompt: Advent

 

_Click-clack-click._

Starscream’s thrusters beat a frustrated rhythm into the hard marble floor he was pacing dents into. His footfalls were heavy and huffy, his arms crossed tightly across his chest as he made his nth circle across the balcony.

“Where _is_ he?” he asked of the space around him, his voice shrill with impatience. He checked his chronometer, and Optimus was _still_ minutes late—

“Starscream?” a voice came from the stairway leading up to the balcony. Starscream jerked his helm and narrowed his optics, the joints in his arms relaxing so that they fell to his sides. Optimus looked up at him as he climbed from the stairs to the viewing platform. “I apologize for the delay,” he said, noting the seeker’s still-tense posture. “I haven’t missed it, have I?” he asked, optics going wide with preemptive dismay as he went to the ledge of the balcony, looking to the sky.

Starscream made a _tch_ ing sound through his vents. “No, of course not. I told you to get here earlier than you had to knowing that you’d likely be delayed,” he said. He joined Optimus at the ledge and leaned against it, putting his helm in his hands. The Prime shot him an injured look to which Starscream glared in reply. “Don’t look at me like that. I was right wasn’t I?”

Optimus sighed and had to concede defeat. “Indeed,” he said resignedly. Starscream grinned, knowing that the Prime disliked giving him the satisfaction of being right. “So what time is the actual event?” he asked, relaxing against the rail beside Starscream, following suit and leaning against it as he continued staring at Cybertron’s night sky.

Starscream hummed in thought as he checked his chronometer, then his calculations, and then the time once again. “The meteor shower should pass through our visual window in just a few minutes,” he said, though he didn’t miss the beat as Optimus waited for him to continue. “Three minutes and thirty-eight seconds to be exact, but who’s counting?” he said with a self-satisfied snort.

Optimus chuckled and nodded, but didn’t say anything else. He checked his own chronometer and they both kept time, watching the sky carefully as the minutes and then seconds ticked down, closer and closer until they reached zero—

But nothing happened.

Starscream immediately tensed; Optimus felt his EM field bristle with spikes of anxious energy, the sudden displacement of his own field causing him to flinch away. Neither of them moved – it was possible that Starscream’s calculations had been off by just a few seconds – but then a minute passed, and then another.

It was as if time slowed and Starscream was becoming increasingly agitated as nothing continued to happen.

“Starscream, it’s okay,” the Prime tried to soothe the seeker, whose EM field now felt like approaching one of those porcupine creatures from Earth. “Maybe the source code from the astronomy text you used was outdated. There is bound to be misinformation strewn about the Hall of Records, they’ve just reorganized it after all.” He was trying to find something, anything to say, to make Starscream feel better.

“I hate waiting,” Starscream ground out through clenched dentae. Without prompting, he clarified, “I hate being _kept_ waiting. I hate when you do it and I hate when calculations do it. I did everything _I_ could to plan this,” he said lowly, venting hot air that drifted away from them in small clouds of steam. “I thought it would be _nice_ ,” he sneered. “Now—” he stopped himself, crossing his arms in front of his chest again, cutting himself off.

Optimus sighed. None of this was new information. Starscream was impatient, impulsive, inflexible. The first two were likely hardwired into his processor, but Optimus could see where the lack of flexibility might have been a learned behavior. Being flexible, letting others come and go when they wanted, allowing events and plans go uncontrolled likely spelled disaster for the seeker. Inflexibility could provide a degree of security and control to those whose positions were precarious.

“You’re embarrassed, because the calculation was wrong. And you’re disappointed,” he said, reaching over to tentatively place a hand on Starscream’s arm. The seeker didn’t flinch away so the Prime kept it there. “As am I. But I am sure the meteor shower will come sometime soon. Your other astronomical predictions have been accurate,” he reminded the seeker. “I was looking forward to it.”

Starscream looked at the hand on his arm and huffed. He pouted, trying to pretend that he didn’t want the comfort. “Embarrassed? Hardly,” he said haughtily, flaring his wings outward. “But I am disappointed. The descriptions of this shower were… intriguing,” he said. “It’s a shame, we probably won’t be in the right place to see it when it does pass by.”

Optimus smiled beneath his facemask. “But we are home. At least it will pass over us, even if we don’t see it,” he said and Starscream snorted, apparently having none of that sentiment. “And being home means we can look forward to so much more. You have access to the Hall of Records and can make other predictions. The cities are revitalizing. I hope we can re-open the bombed out energon mines within a few weeks and start moving those still living in the refugee colonies,” he said, listing only the initiatives he had been discussing in the meeting that had delayed him.

Starscream dimmed his optics and looked to the side, sighing through his vents. “I suppose,” he admitted, but he had wanted _this_ meteor shower in particular. He was proud of his ability to transpose the ancient astronomy texts and compute the calculations needed to predict these events. He hated being wrong—

“Starscream?” Optimus said suddenly, grabbing his arm tightly and dragging him out of his momentary self-pity. “Look.”

Starscream jerked his helm up and saw, just on the corner of their visible skyline, the beginnings of the meteor shower. A few bright burning embers with gold arcing trails behind them blazed across the dark indigo-blue of Cybertron’s night sky. They were dotted in perpetual freefall with smaller sparks with shorter trails that didn’t burn as bright but contributed to the ethereal glow of the entire event.

The blazing embers shot light in waves through the sky, momentarily brightening the skyline. Muffled shouts of collective excitement and awe boomed from the city below them and Starscream could practically see mechs, hundreds of them, pointing upwards to stare up at a celestial event bright enough to be seen from nearly anywhere.

“You were right,” Optimus said, looking at Starscream with a smile evident in his optics.

Starscream reluctantly looked away from the sky as the meteor shower passed out of their view. He stared at Optimus for a moment, thinking of the mechs still cheering below them, and of what the Prime had just said.

They had so much to look forward to. Perhaps waiting would be worth it.

“Yes, we were right,” he said finally, leaning his shoulder against the Prime’s as the final tendrils of the shooting embers flew past them, onwards to other skies.


	2. Day 2 - Scrooge

**Title** : Bah! Humbug!  
 **‘Verse** : _A Christmas Carol_ AU  
 **Series** : None  
 **Rating** : G  
 **Characters** : Alpha Trion, Optimus Prime, Starscream  
 **Summary** : The Ghost of Christmas Present reveals more than Alpha Trion wanted to know.  
 **Warnings** : Do you see that "A Christmas Carol AU" up there? Yeah. This is crack supreme.  
 **Notes** : For primescream Advent Challenge.

**The Prompt** : Scrooge

 

Dim gas lamps sent light scattering against the snowflakes which floated slowly to the ground, obscuring the view of the house that materialized in front of them. Alpha Trion looked over to the large mech beside him, a tall red and overly jovial fellow who seemed to like quoting him out of context – the Ghost of Christmas Present, and Alpha Trion was beyond doubting that the spirits plaguing him were anything but real.

“Is this Optimus’ place?” he asked of the Ghost, vaguely recognizing the house from the few times he had bothered to visit.

The Ghost laughed and gestured for him to move closer to the window so that they could peek into the house. Alpha Trion took that as a ‘yes’ and approached the window, staring through the frosty glass into a warm scene of reveling, a holiday party that was clearly well underway even in this early in the evening. He would have scoffed at the folly if he didn’t fear reproach from the Ghost.

“This is his annual Christmas party,” the Ghost informed him, though that was nothing he didn’t know. “He invited you, like he does every year. But you will not attend, like you don’t ever year,” the Ghost said, pointing out Optimus Prime in the center of the crowd with a pretty seeker hanging on his arm.

Alpha Trion narrowed his optics, frowning in disapproval. “That’s the source of his new infatuation,” he grumbled, to which the Ghost only chuckled.

“Would you like to step inside?” the spirit asked, transporting them inside the house before Alpha Trion could answer, the sound and smells of the party immediately overwhelming his senses with the sudden change from the cold void of outdoors.

Optimus was telling some tale, much to the delight of the crowd, and it was only after a moment of dazed confusion from the sudden change in locale that Alpha Trion realized it was about him – about his refusal to participate in the festivities.

“He only punishes himself,” the seeker sneered with an amused smirk tilting his lips upward. “Really, I don’t see why you’re bothered,” he added dismissively, to which the crowd agreed with hums and nods.

Optimus shrugged, earning several boos. “Perhaps one day he will accept. I invite him every year hoping that he will,” he admitted, to which the seeker scoffed.

“Who wants him here?” he asked the other party-goers, who erupted into laughter. The din seemed all the louder because of Alpha Trion’s growing mortification. “He’d only bring us down, what with his ‘bah’ and his ‘humbug’!”

Even Optimus laughed at that, which made Alpha Trion’s spark contract on itself in an unfamiliar sort of way. “Well, there is always next year,” he said with a sheepish shrug as he held his energon cube aloft in a toast. “To his health, at least?”

“To his health,” the seeker crowed, holding up his cube. “May it fail him sooner rather than later,” he cackled, drawing cheers from the other mechs there and a disappointed glare from Optimus. The sound became overwhelming, fading away again to the cold street in the center of Iacon, snow and ice replacing the warm glow of the party.

The Ghost looked at him, a question glittering his optics. “Are you going to ask if I’m surprised?” Alpha Trion spat, glaring back. “Because of course I’m not. I couldn’t care less what that sniveling fool and his vapid seeker thinks,” he said, though his spark twisted again. It was a lie, and there wasn’t much point in lying to an omniscient spirit, he realized.

The Ghost smiled knowingly and beckoned. “You can continue to lie to yourself. But come, there is more to be seen.”

Alpha Trion wasn’t sure if he wanted to see anymore and the sound of so many cheering and cackling at his expense crowded his thoughts as they continued, Optimus and the seeker’s laughter echoing dimly in his audials.


	3. Day 3 - Hot Tub

**Title** : Hot Tub Etiquette  
 **‘Verse** : G1  
 **Series** : None  
 **Rating** : G  
 **Characters** : Optimus Prime, Starscream  
 **Summary** : Starscream detests not being paid attention to.  
 **Warnings** : Robot hot tubs.  
 **Notes** : For primescream Advent Challenge.

**The Prompt** : Hot Tub

“Do you mind?”

Optimus was glaring at Starscream from beneath the brim of his helmet, hot oily solvent dripping over his optics and down his facemask. The seeker grinned wide, entirely pleased with himself, his thruster dipping back beneath the surface of the solvent after quickly kicking some of the liquid up in the Prime’s peacefully recharging face.

“Of course not,” Starscream quipped, taking a sip from his glass of high grade, chuckling inwardly while Optimus wiped himself off with the back of his hand. “Just try not to fall asleep in the tub, fool. You might drown.”


	4. Day 4 - Pets

**Title** : Flight Hazards  
 **‘Verse** : G1/Petverse AU  
 **Series** : None  
 **Rating** : PG  
 **Characters** : Orion Pax, Starscream  
 **Summary** : The best way to warm up after being out too long in the cold is with a little friction.  
 **Warnings** : Petverse AU - seekers are pets. Warning for shoddy attempt at worldbuilding.  
 **Notes** : For primescream Advent Challenge.

**The Prompt** : Pets/Petting

 

“What did I say about staying outside too long in the cold?”

Orion’s optic ridges were knitted above his brow as he concentrated while trying to ease the anxiety out of his own frame. Starscream sat beneath him on a chair while he stood, bent over and looking very much sorry for his own sake that he had taken a late night flight.

“I d-didn’t know it-t would be so c-cold,” Starscream protested pitifully, teeth chattering as he wrapped his arms around his frame and rubbed at his own shoulders to try to warm his wings up. To be honest, he had known that it would be cold; he just thought that he would be able to handle the thin atmosphere and lightless sky of Cybertron’s northern hemisphere.

Since coming into accidental possession of a seeker from a benefactor who passed away and left Starscream in his care, Orion had been plagued incessantly by requests to buy the pet off of him. Finally tiring of it, he had decided to temporarily relocate them to Praxus where there was another Archives he could remotely continue his own work at. Starscream had been excited to move and see a new place, but he hadn’t thought it would affect his ability to fly whenever he wanted.

Orion huffed. “I know and I’m sorry that it’s more difficult for you to fly here,” he said, his tone softening. “Would you mind sitting up? I am trying to get a good angle—“ He shifted his hands as Starscream did as he was asked, moving to rub at the frozen-tight wing joint in the center of his wing expanse. “There. Is that right?’

Starscream hummed and balled his hands into fists against his knees. “Yes, that’s helping,” he said, his wings drooping some. They were relaxing in the warmth of their hab suite, but he was also disappointed which was coming across loud and clear in his body language. “It’s hard to fly during the day because there are too many others in the sky,” he said, pouting.

Sighing, Orion nodded. “I know,” he repeated. He understood Starscream’s frustrations but he hoped the seeker knew that the restrictions were for his own safety. His hands wandered along the seeker’s wings as he felt the metal warming beneath his touch, trying to soothe his disappointment. “How about the rest of your wings?” he asked, knowing Starscream enjoyed the attention he readily paid the graceful appendages.

“They could use some warming up too,” the seeker murmured as he relaxed again, bending over in the chair with a low hum. “Here, move,” he said, quickly moving to push Orion down to sit on the berth behind him, crawling into his lap. “Better,” he mumbled as he pillowed his helm on his arms, absorbing the other mech’s warmth.

Orion blinked in surprise at the sudden change but sighed good-naturedly, scratching at center of Starscream’s wings and earning a pleased purr through the seeker’s vents.


	5. Day 5 - Jewelry

**Title:** The Gift of Giving  
 **'Verse:** G1 AU  
 **Series:** None  
 **Rating:** G  
 **Summary** : Most often, giving the gift is harder than receiving it.  
 **Warnings** : None.   
**Notes:** For the primescream advent challenge.

**The Prompt** : Jewelry. 

Optimus fluctuated between being nervous and excited. Starscream was an impossible person to surprise with a gift; he was difficult to surprise, period, given that he was often better at snooping than his loud demeanor should have allowed, but he was also difficult to be thoughtful for. He had a tendency to be … less than gracious, and though Optimus wasn’t interested in being thanked for his gesture, he would be disappointed if the thought resulted in his embarrassment.

He vented a long sigh, wondering why he did these things to himself, and knocked on the door to Starscream’s hab suite. He waited, shuffling on his feet with a box weighing heavily in his hands; it was light, but it felt dense with anticipation.

Starscream opened the door, peering through the crack as he customarily did before opening it all the way. His optics brightened visibly in the darkened hallway as he grinned.

“Nice of you to visit,” he said cloyingly, apparently pleasantly surprised. “You rarely come by unannounced,” he said and Optimus wasn’t sure if that was supposed to be praise or criticism. Starscream stepped inside to let him in, so he assumed it might have been praise. Maybe.

Optimus moved his arms behind him to keep the box hidden as Starscream fiddled with the door, keeping it closed. “I thought it would be a pleasant surprise,” he said and Starscream’s chuckle seemed to confirm his thought. “After our get-together during the meteor shower, I wanted to do something to … surprise you,” he said, sheepishly. He was about to embarrass himself wasn’t he?

Starscream’s interest was piqued though and he was quickly leading them over to the couch. “Oh, really?” he asked. “Surprise me? I usually don’t take too well to surprises, but now I’m curious. What’s the surprise?”

Optimus sat down on the couch when Starscream gestured, glad that the seeker seemed to be interested. “It’s just something small,” he said, fiddling with the box behind his back. Starscream noticed and titled his helm, trying to get a look behind the Prime. “Ah ah,” he chastised, smiling beneath his mask. The seeker’s curiosity was endearing. “I won’t keep you waiting. Here,” he said, bringing the box from behind his back and holding it out.

Starscream blinked, looking at the box and taking it carefully, turning it over in his hands. “What is it?” he asked, optics flicking back up to look at Optimus. “Do I open it?”

“Yes,” Optimus said, chuckling. His hands fell to his lap and he had to resist wringing them nervously.

Starscream pursed his lips and turned it over in his hands once more before pulling at the string keeping the box together. It fell to the floor and he carefully removed the cover from the top before unceremoniously letting that fall to the floor too. His optics widened, helm tilting as he took in its contents, wings flicking expressively.

It was a light stone – a particularly bright piece of crystal mined from the Gardens in Praxus, made to glitter by exposure to Cybertron’s moons in the observatories in Vos. Light stones had been a symbol of unity, before the war, the industries of city-states from all over the planet collaborating to make something beautiful.

Starscream picked up the light stone, connected to a dainty thin chain, to be worn as an ornamental necklace. “Oh,” he hummed, lifting the stone up so that it reflected the light at different angles, smiling as he turned it over in his hands. “It’s very pretty. I thought all of the crystals had been destroyed,” he said, weighing the stone in his hands curiously.

Optimus relaxed visibly, a relieved sigh passing through his vents. “There were specimens preserved for conservation, but they had enough that they offer the officers some of the excess,” he explained. “This one has an abnormal reflective pattern, which I found striking,” he said, optics moving from the stone to Starscream, hoping that his meaning was clear.

The seeker continued to play with the light stone, apparently not listening very closely. “I must admit, I am surprised,” he said as he turned the stone on its side, optics widening as the light reflected in an opposite pattern. “Not a bad gift,” he said, tugging at the chain and letting the light stone dangle in the air in front of him.

Optimus smiled beneath his mask, knowing that was the closest to a thank you he would ever receive. “You’re welcome,” he said, teasingly.

“Don’t push it,” Starscream teased in return, holding the light stone out to the Prime. “Here, help me put it on.”


	6. Day 6 - Frosted Trees

**Title** : Pointing Home  
 **'Verse:** G1  
 **Rating:** G  
 **Characters** : Starscream   
**Summary:** Starscream finds reminders of home in the strangest of places.  
 **Warnings:** None  
 **Notes** : For the primescream Advent Challenge!

**Prompt:** Frosted Trees

 

Brown, white, gray. The scenery of Earth was so dull during the northern hemisphere’s winter months. Not that it was all that interesting any other time of its year, but the cold months killed all the colors and made already ugly organic features uglier by killing them. Starscream had to admit he was intrigued by the planet’s tendency towards self-renewal, but that didn’t mean he appreciated seeing all the dead deciduous trees for half the year.

He threw the throttle and jettisoned himself through the atmosphere, far away from the bleak vegetation and snow. It wasn’t often that he got time off duty and when he did he wanted to spend as much of it as he could in the air; he carefully routed himself away from Autobot air space, not wanting to cause an  _ incident  _ on his day off. He refused to be recalled and he pointedly silenced his comm. frequency.  _ Oh sorry Lord Megatron, I was in a tunnel for hours… _

He set his course east and carved a straight line through the atmosphere, ozone peeling off of the flats of his wings as he sought something to interest him, make him feel a little more alive. Flight alone was already enough to eliminate the heavy feeling brought on by having to drag his feet around anywhere for too long, but he was tired of his boring landscape. This boring planet, this boring war. 

The peaks of mountains peering out from under the clouds caught his attention - it was the first thing other than _white_ that he had seen since tilting upwards - so he changed course, leaning towards them. The clouds cleared as he approached, revealing more of the mountain range. He flipped through several maps in his HUD until he reached a local one - the Rocky Mountains, they were called. Dumb name for mountains, of course they were _rocky_. The inhabitants were just as uninspired as the wretched planet they called home, evidently.

Snow capped the top of the peaks and the sides of the mountain were dotted with tall green trees, _coniferous_ they were called - because they were shaped like cones, Starscream gathered with an inward snort. He had seen them in passing before but nothing like them grew near the Decepticon base. They too were capped with snow and he thought they looked familiar and it took only moment for him to recognize the nostalgia pulling at his spark.

The trees, the mountains, reminded him of the spires from Vos, also white and glittering and pointing to the sky like thousands of signs pointing the way home. They had the same frosted sheen that the crystalline glass of the spires had, reaching up into the atmosphere and beyond the clouds, the snow making them appear metallic.

He circled the peak of the closest mountain for a few minutes, wondering when he had become so homesick that this kind of thinking no longer sickened him - he was comforted, rather, by this reminder of home. The Earth was useless, but it reminded him of meaningful places. He tucked his curiosity and nostalgia away, for exploration later, wanting to still enjoy this time he had off. He redirected himself south so that he could follow the mountain range a little longer, wondering how long it would go for, losing himself amongst his thoughts of home and feeling like he was finally flying where he wanted to for the first time in too long.


	7. Day 7 - Snow Globe

**Title** : It Doesn't Snow on Alien Planets  
 **'Verse:** G1 (AU)  
 **Rating:** G  
 **Characters** : Optimus Prime, Starscream  
 **Summary:** The thought was nice, albeit a meteorological impossibility.  
 **Warnings:** None  
 **Notes** : For the primescream Advent Challenge!

**Prompt:** Snow Globe

“What _is_ that?”

Optimus looked to see Starscream peering over his shoulder, looking intently at the object in his hand. The Prime held it aloft for the seeker to get a better look. “This?”

“Yes, that,” Starscream said, tilting his helm. “Shake it again.”

Optimus took the object and shook it. “It’s a snow globe,” he explained, holding it out to Starscream so that the seeker could hold it if he wanted to. “The human diplomat that visited today presented it as a gift. It was too big for him to carry,” he explained with a chuckle, pressing the fragile object into Starscream’s hands.

The seeker peered into it and blinked. “It’s Cybertron,” he said after a moment of inspection. “Why are there white things floating in it?” he asked, his curiosity obviously aroused.

“That’s the snow, I believe,” Optimus said with a shrug. It didn’t snow on Cybertron, as Starscream made clear with a derisive sneer at the idea before returning to his inspection of the item, but Optimus thought the sentiment was endearing. “It’s recreated from the photographs the human scientists took the last time we were able to return to Cybertron through the space bridge. They did a good job,” he said, wrapping an arm around Starscream’s waist as the seeker continued to scrutinize Cybertron’s miniature skyline.

“Yeah, I guess,” he said, though he was so engrossed with looking at the object that Optimus gathered he was more enthused than he let on. The Prime chuckled and watched as the snow fell on Cybertron, amused by the absurdity but enjoying the little view of home that the humans had provided for them.


	8. Day 8 - Friction

**Title** : Friction  
 **'Verse:** G1  
 **Rating:** M  
 **Characters** : Optimus Prime, Starscream  
 **Summary:** When the heat suddenly cuts out, Starscream demands another option for warmth.  
 **Warnings:** Fade-to-black intimacy.  
 **Prompt:** Cuddling for warmth. 

 

“It’s _cold_!”

Optimus blearily opened his optics, the white ceiling of their Iacon hab suite coming into focus slowly along with the huffing rant of the seeker coming to beside him. His frame trembled in a full-body shiver as he belatedly began to recognize what Starscream was complaining about – it _was_ cold.

“Blast Wheeljack! I told you his blueprints were no good, you’re going to have to let me into that lab sooner than later you know,” the seeker was ranting, getting up from the berth to stomp over to the portable heater he had taken to keeping in the room. It wasn’t the first time Wheeljack’s new energy-saving systems had proved faulty and Starscream complained of the cold much more of than Optimus did.

The Prime sighed, agreeing though that it was indeed too cold than was comfortable this time. Securing the clearances needed for Starscream to get into the labs was going to be difficult, but he probably would be able to contribute _something_ to their conservation efforts.

“Very well, I can see what I can do,” he obliged as Starscream finished adjusting the settings on the heater gently – with a parting kick to the thing before it finally guttered to life. The seeker grumbled wordlessly as he sulked back to bed and lay back down next to Optimus. “You’re shivering,” the Prime noted with a sigh, reaching to place a hand on the seeker’s arm.

“It’s _cold_ ,” Starscream said with exaggerated emphasis, pointedly stating the obvious. The seeker pouted for a moment before an idea seemed to dawn on him, making Optimus worry momentarily. “I guess we should use a little friction to warm up,” he said, nuzzling his helm against Optimus’ as he shifted and settled atop the Prime again.

“I guess so- _oh_.” Optimus’ thought was cut off as Starscream’s hands found a sensitive knot of cabling beneath his pelvic plating to worry between his fingers. “Oh, that kind of friction,” he said with a gasp as Starscream kissed at his jaw and mouthed at the cables in his neck.

“The _best_ kind,” Starscream replied with a smirk before continuing, leaving them both breathless and panting to draw the abundant cool air to their rapidly heating frames.


	9. Day 9 - Home for the Night

**Title** : Workin' Overtime   
**'Verse:** G1  
 **Rating:** G  
 **Characters** : Optimus Prime, Starscream  
 **Summary:** After a long day at work, it's nice to be home.  
 **Warnings:** Bob Seger references.  
 **Prompt:** Home for the night.

 

Optimus hated late nights.

Helping to manage a planet after millennia of war took a toll on each and every one of the remaining officers who had been tasked with the rebuild, but most would admit that Optimus had it the worst. He was working before the others reported and often stayed later than most. And really, the stress he was under was the only plausible explanation for his recent decision to take up habitation with a certain seeker that was none too popular among Autobot High Command.

Optimus dragged his hand down his face. He could run a planet any day. Peacetime governance was easier than anything he had ever had to do during the war; sure, things were messy but nobody was dying anymore. Anything could be fixed so long as it wasn’t dead. But what tired him out were the rumors, day in and day out. He had explained himself; he wasn’t the only Autobot to take up with a former enemy in the years following the truce.

But he was Prime. He knew to expect utmost scrutiny, but that didn’t stop it from draining him.

Late nights felt later than ever. And it was _cold_. He stepped as quietly as his bulk would allow into their hab suite, rubbing at his arms and wondering what exactly they could do about heating the apartments during the chilly nights. Somewhere way down there on the priority list but his fellow officers at least deserved to be comfortable while they figured out this mess.

Tiptoeing to the berth, he couldn’t help but smile to himself at the sight of Starscream fast asleep, sprawled out on the bed and taking full advantage of the Prime’s absence while he could. The seeker was … pretty when he was relaxed, disarming when he was quiet for once. Maybe if the others could see him when he wasn’t posturing they wouldn’t question him so much.

Either way, Optimus was happy to be home for the night. Climbing onto the berth, he nudged Starscream’s arm gently. “Move over,” he grunted, poking at the seeker until he woke up enough to do as he was asked.

Starscream whined wordlessly and begrudgingly scooted over, making room for Optimus. The Prime settled onto the berth, the metal creaking beneath his weight as he shifted and got comfortable. “You’re back late,” Starscream grumbled.

“I’m sorry,” Optimus said, sincerely. He didn’t protest as the seeker curled up closer to him, nuzzling his helm against his arm. “It will all slow down soon.”

“Good,” Starscream said as he yawned through his vents, settling back into sleep. “I like having you home.”

Optimus chuckled but didn’t say anything more, letting Starscream get back to recharge while letting his own mind wind down. The seeker had certainly seemed content to have the berth to himself but it was obvious to both of them how they preferred to sleep. An empty berth could never compete with the warmth and comfort of having another mech nearby, especially after too many long days apart.


	10. Day 10 - Fairy Lights

**Title** : Blanket Fort  
 **'Verse:** G1  
 **Rating:** G  
 **Characters** : Optimus Prime, Starscream  
 **Summary:** Seekers might have a compulsion to nest.  
 **Warnings:** None  
 **Prompt** : Fairy Lights (Christmas Lights)

 

“Starscream, where did you disappear to?”

Optimus poked his helm into their shared quarters, looking around as he sought out the missing seeker. His hands tightened on the door frame as he let the door slide shut behind him. If Starscream wasn’t here, then where was he? “I’m starting to get worried,” he muttered to himself, making his way to their hab suite.

He was surprised to see a soft glow of light suffusing through the dark from the berth room, not used to such a sight. He walked towards it and looked in towards the berth to see what appeared to be a number of giant cotton sheets wadded up between the berth and the wall, set up like a crude fabric lean-to. “Starscream?” he asked again, approaching the simple structure.

There was a surprised shout from inside the wad of sheets, the shadow of a helm briefly showing through the contours of the fabric as the seeker sat up. “Yes hello what is it,” Starscream demanded brusquely, poking his helm out from his contraption. His tone was short but he was grinning, apparently begging to be asked about his project.

Optimus was happy to ask, his curiosity piqued. “What are you doing down there?” he asked, bending down to look into the structure. His optics went wide as he saw what Starscream was working on. “Oh, _wow_ , that is more comfortable looking on the inside,” he said as he inspected the seeker’s handiwork.

The fabric lean-to was filled with more fabric balled up on itself and the interior was lined with small yellow-white lights that was providing the room with that soft glow. Starscream grinned, proud of his handiwork.

“I saw it on the internet. It reminded me of a nest but nicer. It needs more … decoration,” he said as he took a step back and looked at his work, a hand on his chin.

“It looks nicely decorated to me,” Optimus said, getting down on his knees to look in more closely. “May I come in?”

Starscream snorted. “Sure, but be careful. If you knock it down, you have to rebuild it yourself,” he said with enough warning to his voice that Optimus took it seriously, vowing to be careful.


	11. Day 11 - Worst Gift Ever

**Title** : Imaginative Gifts.  
 **'Verse:** G1  
 **Rating:** T  
 **Characters** : Optimus Prime, Starscream  
 **Summary:** Starscream is a little too creative for Optimus to handle sometimes.  
 **Warnings:** Off-camera intimacy.  
 **Prompt** : Worst Gift Ever

 

“Okay, so now move your legs like that—a little more—”

“Like this?”

“Yes, like that. Now get over here, I’ll help you sit up and—ow!”

_Krrkkch—_

“Ow ow ow, dammit—”

“Are you okay? I’m so sorry, did I—”

“Shut up, I’m fine. Now move that over—”

“ _Nope!_ Nope, that doesn’t go there!”

“What?”

“That! What you got your hand on!”

“This?”

“Yes!”

“You said you’d try something new!”

“Not _that_ new!”

“Oh _fine_. Bad gift idea. Let’s just ‘face and call it a night.”

“ _That_ sounds like a wonderful gift.”

“You have no imagination.”

“You have far too much imagination.”


	12. Day 12 - Naughty/Nice

**Title** : Cold as Coal  
 **'Verse:** G1  
 **Rating:** G  
 **Characters** : Optimus Prime, Starscream, mentions of Jazz  
 **Summary:** Being called 'naughty' sucks even if it's true.  
 **Warnings:** None.  
 **Prompt** : Naughty/Nice

 

“How _dare_ he?”

Optimus knew that it had been a joke. Jazz certainly intended it to be a joke. Honestly, he had been dressed up as that strange human elf man, in a red and white suit he had pieced together from giant swaths of fabric he had apparently smuggled from Earth before they left. He had become enamored with a number of the humans’ traditions while they were there, but this one was certainly not the best to try out on Starscream.

“Me? _Naughty_? What right does he have to say such a thing!”

Starscream stormed through the hallways back to their hab suite, ranting and raving the whole way after their brief but disastrous run-in with Santa Jazz. Optimus followed behind, doing damage control as he could and sighed in relief as soon as the door was shut behind them. At least there Starscream could explode in private.

“—and of course _you’re_ nice, you’re his boss! The system is rigged, how could he call you anything but _nice_?”

“I know, the injustice is truly infuriating,” Optimus said with a chuckle as he sat down on the berth, only half listening to Starscream’s continued streaming rant. The seeker snorted and glared in his direction, the heat of his stare making him raise his hands in a pacifying gesture. “Starscream, it was only a joke. Since when do you care what Jazz in a Santa suit thinks of you?”

Starscream’s wings flared outward, fluttering agitatedly. He grimaced and crossed his arms across his chest, withdrawing on himself. “I don’t care,” he declared shortly.

Optimus raised an optic ridge knowingly. “Come here,” he said, patting at the spot next to him on the berth. Starscream narrowed his optics but acquiesced, sitting down on the berth next to the Prime with an exaggerated grunt. “Were you embarrassed?” Optimus asked, wondering if it was the public nature of the incident that had the seeker so agitated.

“No,” Starscream replied shortly, but the tightening of the joints in his shoulders indicated otherwise.

Optimus sighed; he knew that re-integrating had been a difficult process for everyone and any reminders of antagonistic sentiments had a tendency to make conflict flare. Starscream was particularly volatile but the Prime suggested that his reaction had less to do with the _bad_ connotation to the word naughty; it was the childishness the word implied. Starscream demanded to be taken seriously.

“Maybe he was flirting,” Optimus suggested lightly, patting the seeker’s arm to get him to pay attention.

Starscream looked at him, perplexed. “I don’t think so,” he said, optics narrowing again. “I should have punched him,” he grumbled, leaning his shoulder against the Prime’s. “He doesn’t even know what _naughty_ looks like yet.”


	13. Day 13 - Festive Treats

**Title** : Hard Kept Surprises  
 **'Verse** : G1/Petverse  
 **Rating** : G  
 **Characters** : Orion Pax, Starscream  
 **Summary** : Orion is finding it hard to keep treats hidden in the house.  
 **Warnings** : None.  
 **Prompt** : Festive treats.

 

Keeping treats in the house was quickly becoming a very bad idea.

Orion had originally thought that keeping energon goodies around would be a good way to surprise Starscream. The seeker was demanding and Orion oftentimes was unable to satisfy his every whim, but treats were intended to be a surprise gift to make up for those shortcomings.

The problem was that Starscream was so demanding, he usually just skipped the part about being surprised and helped himself to the treats as soon as he found out they were in the house.

Orion would go looking for some of the treats only to find jars upon jars of them already ransacked, empty. Rather than ask and be told where they had gone, he usually just let the incidents go unnoted, not willing to start a shouting match over something so silly, something that was supposed to make them happy, not angry. Starscream was simply incorrigible and had managed to ruin even a nice gesture.

But, when the local energon distributor put out a limited edition treat set, Orion knew he finally had an opportunity to properly surprise Starscream. He wanted to do something, anything, to make up for what he perceived to be a lacking in his ability to be a decent caretaker. The seeker had chosen him, apparently by mistake or something because he was certainly not wealthy enough to warrant the privilege.

Hence why they had to move; hence why he rarely was able to live up to Starscream’s expectations—

He steeled himself against the thoughts of his failures. A surprise will be nice, he told himself.

With the special treats in hand, he returned home to find Starscream lounging on the couch of the living suite, apparently asleep. Orion quietly shut the door behind him and walked as quietly as he could, keeping the box behind his back.

“Starscream?” he asked, leaning over the sleeping seeker. A wing twitched, indicating that he was being heard. “Wake up, I brought something home,” he said, sitting on the chair adjacent to the couch.

The seeker whined but reluctantly did as he was asked, apparently intrigued by the ‘something’. His optics blinked and he sat up, stretching his spinal strut and letting his wings extend to their full width before relaxing again. Starscream looked at him and then tilted his helm, optics flicking to where Orion’s hands disappeared behind his back. “What is it?” he asked warily.

Orion smiled and quickly unhid the box of treats, handing them to the seeker with enthusiasm. “A present,” he said, gesturing for Starscream to take the box. “I’m just as bad at keeping surprises as you are at being surprised,” he chuckled, eager to give away the gift.

Starscream perked up and took the gift, holding it in his hands for barely a second before tearing the top of the box off. “Oh,” he cooed, smirking as he reached to pick a treat out of the box. “Figured it wasn’t worth keeping them in jars anymore?” he asked with a smug grin, holding the treat carefully between his fingers.

“So you confess,” Orion said, crossing his arms in front of his chest.

“Oh, please,” Starscream snorted. “You can’t be too mad about it, I just have a penchant for sweet things,” he said with a shrug, popping the treat in his mouth, proving the point. He chewed at the energon goodie for a moment before his optics went comically wide and bright. “Oh wow, those are really sweet,” he announced, smiling wide as he quickly ate another two of the treats.

“Hey, hey!” Orion reached over the snatch the box away, causing the seeker to bristle and snarl. “Don’t eat them too quickly. These are so processed they’ll turn your tanks inside out,” he warned, reluctant to give the box back despite Starscream’s pout. “Have a couple and then you can savor them slowly for a change,” he suggested.

Starscream reached over to grab the box, jealously huddling his arms around it. “Savor? Maybe,” he said, grinning as he ate another treat and let the super sweet energon work through his systems. “But these are so good, I might risk the aching tanks,” he shrugged, hopping over to sit next to Orion on the chair and bumping shoulders affectionately as a sign of thanks.

Orion sighed but smiled; Starscream was incorrigible, but at least he was endearing about it.


	14. Day 14 - Ballet

**Title** : Choreographed  
' **Verse** : G1  
 **Rating** : G  
 **Characters** : Optimus Prime, Starscream  
 **Summary** : Starscream made combat look like art.  
 **Warnings** : None.  
 **Prompt** : Ballet

 

Starscream made combat look like choreography. Optimus was so used to just putting the full brunt of his power behind every move he made, relying on brute force rather than grace. He supposed that the seeker had no choice; if placed against one another, ounce of steel against ounce, Optimus would of course win every time. But that didn’t ease the Prime’s frustration as the seeker continued to dance circles around him, always just out of reach.

“What’s the matter, Prime?” Starscream snorted. “Can’t keep up?”

Optimus narrowed his optics, trying to understand. If Starscream didn’t intend on capitalizing on some gambit, then what was he waiting for? There was enough room that he could take off and leave Optimus cursing in the dust.

“What’s the matter, Starscream?” he called back. “Too scared to make a move?”

Starscream bit out a laugh and gunned his thrusters demonstratively, hovering in the air. “Hardly,” he said, stretching exaggeratedly. Optimus raised his blaster and leveled it at the seeker but Starscream was quickly back doing the same with his null rays. “Ah ah,” he chided, waving an index digit at the Prime. “You’re boring me, Prime. Let’s try this dance again after you’ve caught on,” the seeker said before quickly jetting off, leaving a hiss of steam in the hot air he left behind him.

Optimus followed the seeker as he ascended and transformed, heading west. Catch on? He didn’t understand, but apparently Starscream was waiting for something. He had no idea what but he had to admit that he had some hopeful ideas that were probably completely off-base. The more he thought about it, the more he thought of how frustratingly enticing the seeker was, always just out of reach, and Optimus decided he had a lot of thinking to do.


	15. Day 15 - Cookies

**Title** : Complex Carbohydrates  
' **Verse** : G1  
 **Rating** : G  
 **Characters** : Optimus Prime, Starscream  
 **Summary** : Non-liquid treats don’t make any sense.  
 **Warnings** : None.  
 **Prompt** : Cookies

 

“These are disgusting,” Starscream said, poking at the crumbs he had made of the dry cookie treats Spike had left for them in the rec room. “Why do the humans insist on ingesting all of these complex carbohydrates? It’s disgustingly organic and must do horrible things to their internal systems,” he noted, though he sounded more revolted than concerned about humanity’s state of health.

Optimus shrugged, going to pick up a rag to wipe up the mess the seeker had made. He’d rather their human friend not see the remnants of what was most definitely a well-intentioned effort. “Why do we ingest high grade when it inevitably turns our tanks inside out? They simply enjoy the taste. It’s a pity we can’t try them,” he said as he started to clean up the crumbs.

“Yes, what a pity,” Starscream snorted.


	16. Day 16 - High Grade

**Title** : Overindulging  
' **Verse** : G1  
 **Rating** : G  
 **Characters** : Optimus Prime, Starscream  
 **Summary** : Primes don’t party much.  
 **Warnings** : Primes who don’t party drinking too much.  
 **Prompt** : High Grade

 

“I’d rather have those cookies right now—”

That was all Starscream heard before Optimus disappeared into the back of their hab suite, apparently to purge his tanks. The seeker groaned, slamming the door behind him as he plopped down on the couch to wait for him to finish. “You are such a lightweight. That was only what, six cubes of the good stuff?” he asked, counting on his digits as he tried to remember how many cubes he had convinced Optimus to have.

An abrupt knock on the door made him jump off of the couch. Optimus said something but Starscream chose to ignore it as the knocking continued incessantly, annoyingly. “What?” he demanded as he opened the door, wilting some as he found a glaring Ratchet staring at him from the other side. “What do you want?” he tried at his best intimidating tone, without avail.

“You should know better than to make Optimus drink more than a few of those highly energized cubes,” the medic chastised, pushing past the seeker to find the sick mech in question. “Primes don’t party much and they certainly don’t have a seeker’s metabolism,” he grumbled.

Starscream’s wings drooped and he pouted, crossing his arms tightly in front of his canopy. “What! He needs to loosen up,” he called after both of them before sitting heavily back down on the couch, trying to not feel bad for what his action had wrought.


	17. Day 17 - Mistletoe

**Title** : Misplaced Enthusiasm  
' **Verse** : G1  
 **Rating** : G  
 **Characters** : Optimus Prime, Starscream  
 **Summary** : Someone is mad about a landscaping mishap.  
 **Warnings** : None.  
 **Prompt** : Mistletoe

 

“Starscream, why do you have a shrub--?”

“It’s a mistletoe.”

“No, that’s someone’s bush. Whose garden did you get that from?”

“Shut up, it’s a mistletoe, you’re supposed to kiss me.”

“Starscream—”

All protest was cut off by a searing kiss to the Prime’s lips. Starscream was devilishly selective of what human traditions he chose to look into and adopt but Optimus couldn’t really dissuade his enthusiasm.


	18. Day 18 - Snowman

**Title** : More Misplaced Enthusiasm  
' **Verse** : G1  
 **Rating** : G  
 **Characters** : Optimus Prime, Starscream  
 **Summary** : Starscream’s festive spirit is hazardous to some people’s health.  
 **Warnings** : None.  
 **Prompt** : Snowman  
Directly taken/inspired from squareofme's cute comic [here!](http://primescream.livejournal.com/46830.html)

 

“Get Bumblebee off that pile of snow, please.”

“What, he agreed to do it!”

“Did you threaten him?”

“Maybe, but he looks dashingly handsome in the part of ‘my cockpit’, don’t you think?”


	19. Day 19 - Winter Sunlight

**Title** : Not So Quiet  
' **Verse** : G1  
 **Rating** : G  
 **Characters** : Optimus Prime, Starscream  
 **Summary** : A truck doing air recon looks silly to a seeker.  
 **Warnings** : None.  
 **Prompt** : Winter sunlight.

 

There was something about the cold that made everything look a little brighter, a little sharper. The chill made their armor feel brittle but the stunning scenery was enough to make the discomfort worth it.

“I can’t believe you have to climb a mountain to do air reconnaissance,” Starscream snorted as he hovered beside Optimus as he trudged along in the snow. The Prime seemed all too affable about the situation; to see anything this high up personally, he either had to risk being spotted by taking a shuttle or just had to be discreet and go about it by foot. Starscream hadn’t believed it when Optimus had said he was ‘going for a walk’ and demanded to follow and see the ridiculousness for himself.

“I don’t mind it,” Optimus said with a shrug, looking up at the seeker. “I usually don’t have company and the solitude is nice,” he explained.

Starscream laughed shortly, shaking his helm. He couldn’t imagine having to walk to get a view as rudimentary as this. Sure, it was pretty but nothing really beat the view of a planet from the very limits of his atmosphere, all of its wonders and secrets and trends evident beneath him while he was out of range, safe. Walking felt vulnerable; mountains felt inadequate.

He blinked as he realized Optimus had stopped scanning the terrain and was instead looking at him as they continued their ascent. Starscream jumped, feeling oddly exposed by the sudden attention. “Shouldn’t you be doing recon?” he spat, optics narrowing.

Optimus chuckled, shrugging again. “My apologies,” he said. “You just look stunning in this light,” he said with a mischievous glint in his optics.

Starscream blinked and took a moment to mentally splutter before reminding himself to float forwards. “I look stunning in every light,” he retorted, though he couldn’t hide the effect the compliment had on his pride, his wings flaring and canopy puffing out proudly.


	20. Day 20 - Ice Skating

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For Days 20 & 21, there were never headers posted. Sorry for the inconvenience!

**Prompt: Ice Skating**

Starscream thought he’d be good at this activity – this ‘ice skating’. It seemed to only require basic balance and he certainly had that over any of these flat-footed Autobots. It was only a matter of patience and grace; though he lacked the former, he typically had the latter in abundance.

What he didn’t take into account was how awkward a flat-edged foot would feel after a lifetime strutting about on thrusters. He hissed and squawked as he tried to keep his feet straight when it felt like his legs wanted to buckle beneath him, his joints totally unaccustomed to this new awkward angle.

“I’ve got you,” Optimus said carefully as he came behind the seeker, stabilizing him as he almost toppled over.

“Get off of me, I don’t need your fragging help, fool. I can do this, it’s not hard, these skates just don’t fit right,” Starscream hissed as he cursed up a storm, nearly tripping over his own feet as Optimus guided them to the edge of the modified ice rink. “Why are you so good at this?” he muttered more quietly, side-eyeing the Prime. It didn’t make any sense! He was never the clumsy one.

Optimus chuckled and gently leaned them both against the rail of the rink, pointing them towards the exit. “I’ve got very flat feet. Figures that they’re finally good for something,” he said with a self-deprecating laugh.

Starscream pouted but figured that the universe owed the usually graceless Optimus something.

“How about we get some warm energon?” Optimus suggested and Starscream grunted in assent, glad that they would both be getting these damn things off of their feet and the proper order would shortly be restored.


	21. Day 21 - Falling Snow

**Prompt: Falling Snow**

Starscream used to hate snow. The crystalline figures reminded him too much of home; Vos had once been adorned with imported crystals which dotted the ends of its atmosphere, a secret treasure for only its fliers to know and enjoy. This snow fell, though, covering the ground with white powder, clogging vents, becoming brown with dirt and soot. The snowflakes were lovely but it was a cheap imitation; Earth continued to disappoint, and being reminded of home only hurt when it was unattainable.

But snow was hard to hate when it provided such nice atmosphere. He held out a hand and caught several of the snowflakes before they melted in the metal of his palm, marveling at how intricate their patterns were, how unique they were.

“Beautiful, hm?” Optimus asked, reaching to hold his raised hand. There was a sad smile evident in his optics as he watched the seeker examine the snow, a sorrow that stung of homesickness and regret.

Starscream looked from the snow to Optimus and back, feeling warmth welling up inside of him despite the cold weather enveloping them. “I suppose,” he said quietly. Snow had nothing on the crystals of Vos but what was beautiful about this moment was the feeling of no longer being alone; missing home wasn’t as hard when there was someone to miss it with.


	22. Day 22 - Fireplace

**Title** : Fireplace  
 **‘Verse:** G1  
 **Rating** : G  
 **Characters** : Starscream, Optimus Prime  
 **Summary** : Lounging is a certain seeker’s favorite activity.  
 **Warnings** : None.  
 **Note(s):** For the prompt ‘fireplace’. 

“This is my favorite human invention,” Starscream said as he curled up on the couch, stretching his wings in front of the fireplace he had engineered into their hab suite. “You couldn’t expect me to just let them have one in the rec room. This is amazing,” he purred as he glanced over at Optimus, imploring him to join him on the couch.

The Prime chuckled, reluctant to acquiesce when he still had work to do before he called it a day, but he had to admit the offer was enticing. Starscream was overly fond of the cozy warmth the fireplace exuded, and no doubt his happiness with the new feature had a lot to do with the pride he felt in his accomplishment. After a moment of embattled meaningful glances, Optimus reluctantly sighed and decided that taking a break for just a few minutes wouldn’t hurt anything.

“Knew you couldn’t resist,” Starscream gloated smugly, pulling his legs up to make room for the Prime.

“What can I say,” Optimus said with a shrug as he got comfortable on the couch. “You look very comfortable,” he noted, reaching an arm over to drape it across the seeker’s back, a hand resting on the flat of one of his wings. He absently rubbed at the metal, petting at the wing as he let the warmth of the modified fireplace relax his frame. “This _is_ amazing,” he admitted.

Starscream made a contented purring sound, prompting Optimus to look over at him; his optics were half-shut, his expression a satisfied smirk. “No, _that_ is amazing,” the seeker murmured, arching his back into the touch on his wings. Optimus smiled and rubbed a knuckle joint into the wing joint, earning a delighted sigh. “Keep doing that,” the seeker demanded, shutting his optics.

Optimus chuckled and consigned himself to not getting much work done for the evening. He was much more inclined to spend the night in front of their nice new fireplace with a purring pile of seeker in his arms.


	23. Day 23 - Angels

**Title** : Angels  
 **‘Verse:** G1  
 **Rating** : PG  
 **Characters** : Starscream, Optimus Prime, Spike, Daniel  
 **Summary** : Starscream is a tad insensitive.  
 **Warnings** : A seeker using reason to dispel some holiday-related mysteries.  
 **Note(s):** For the prompt ‘Angels’. 

 

“I don’t understand why the humans create so many fallacies for themselves. It is not physically possible for humans to possess the capacity of flight by attaching _wings_ to their shoulder blades,” Starscream grumbled, hiking his own wings up in agitation at the very thought. “They are not _designed_ for that and all of this iconography is anatomically infuriating,” he continued to rant, making it clear that Starscream was to never go near a human church ever again.

Optimus had his hands up in a placating gesture, an exasperated sigh slipping from his vents as they continued to get confused looks from a number of passersby. “They’re angels, Starscream. They’re something the humans believe in even if they don’t necessarily think they’re real or plausible. It’s called faith,” he explained, earning a glare from the seeker.

“Do not lecture me, Prime,” Starscream warned, crossing his arms in front of his chest stubbornly. “You call it faith. I call it ignorance. Why would they believe in falsehoods like _angels_ and _Santa Claus_ – an obese man in a gaudy outfit breaking into people’s homes, traveling across the entire Primus-forsaken planet in a single night? Stupidity.”

Optimus was staring wide-eyed at the seeker as they arrived back at the Ark, making the seeker spit out an agitated “what?” – but the Prime’s line of sight revealed _what_. Their human friend was standing at the entrance of the ship, with his spawn in toe.

“Hello Spike, Daniel,” Optimus said carefully; Spike looked _pissed_ and the human boy looked like he was about to cry, though he was valiantly attempting to not. “We were just talking about how … amazing it is that Santa manages to overcome all of those odds!” he tried to explain, which seemed to soften the young one’s tears somewhat.

“Of course you were,” Spike said tightly, though his curt nod indicated that he appreciated the Prime’s attempt at damage control. “Come on Daniel, let’s get out of the way,” he said, tugging the boy along and down the hallway.

They both waited for the humans to disappear but as soon as they were around the corner, Optimus was glaring at Starscream. “I hope you didn’t just ruin Santa Claus for a young boy,” he said shortly. “You might call it stupid, but the humans call it magic and it’s something that’s important to them, especially the young ones,” the Prime explained. “Respect that.”

Starscream blinked, surprised at the intensity of Optimus’ anger; he was so sensitive about these cultural boundaries, and Starscream was realizing that he had a bad habit of trampling all over them. “Yes, sir,” he said sardonically, trudging behind the Prime and resolving to keep his mouth shut if only because he didn’t particularly like being subjected to the larger mech’s glare.


	24. Day 24 - Decorations

**Title** : Decorations  
 **‘Verse:** G1  
 **Rating** : G  
 **Characters** : Starscream; Jazz, Sideswipe, Optimus Prime  
 **Summary** : Decorating your fellow mechs is frowned upon.  
 **Warnings** : Explosions.  
 **Note(s):** For the prompt ‘decorations’. 

“Who strung garland on Starscream’s wings while he was rechargin’?”

“I heard it was Sideswipe who thought of it. Did they actually do it?”

A loud _boom_ echoed from the rec room, followed by the sounds of mechs laughing and shouting in alternating sounds of glee and pain. Starscream’s distinct shriek pierced through the rest of the din, but was briefly overcome by yet another explosion, this one closer than the last.

Jazz deadpanned. “Yeah, I think they did it. Someone needs to get Optimus.”

“I don’t want to report this mess--”

 _BOOM_.

“Now!”

“Yes, sir!"


	25. Day 25 - Nativity

**Title** : Nativity  
 **‘Verse:** G1  
 **Rating** : G  
 **Characters** : Starscream, Optimus Prime  
 **Summary** : The tense advent of a new birth will inevitably give way to calm.  
 **Warnings** : Robot children in handmade egg, spark shenanigans.  
 **Note(s):** For the prompt ‘Nativity’. 

It started with soft materials like padding and medical blankets disappearing in small amounts. Nothing that couldn’t be explained away by a miscount or the dishevelment that everyone had become accustomed to since moving back. And then the insulation of entire new sections of wall started to disappear and questions started to be asked; eventually, Optimus couldn’t lie to himself when a nest-shaped wad of padding appeared on the floor of their hab suite.

“Just tell them you took it,” Optimus said gently. “No one minds, they understand.”

Starscream huffed and pouted, placing the spherical metal egg into his make-shift nest with as much care as he could muster in his agitated state. “Of course they do,” he said, voice dripping with sarcasm. “It’s a little early in this whole ‘peace’ thing for understanding to be easy to come by,” he said with a snort, tucking the padding in around the egg.

“They know, Starscream,” the Prime explained, trying to sound warm rather than pedantic. “And they don’t mind. Ratchet would like to look at him actually, to make sure he’s fine,” he said, not including that the medic also demanded the return of the stolen medical blankets. That wasn’t as important at the moment.

Starscream’s wings hiked up, his frame tense. “Not yet,” he said. “I’d rather wait. I don’t trust them,” he spat though his expression softened when he saw how Optimus deflated. “Yet. I don’t trust them yet.”

“Very well,” Optimus said, walking over to the nest and placing a careful hand on the egg. The nest was endearing, in its makeshift simplicity. Certainly if any of the Autobots saw it they would be won over; even Ratchet might be swayed to forgive their material debts. “We will wait.” There was the hope of trust and understanding, even if it was slow-coming.

They would wait. A new birth awaited, both in that egg and for their world, for all of them.


End file.
